One step ahead, two back

There were two contrasting reports, Moon mission ready to take off and India slips on child health indicators (February 22). While the first one makes us feel proud, the second makes us cringe in disgust.

There were two contrasting reports, Moon mission ready to take off and India slips on child health indicators (February 22). While the first one makes us feel proud, the second makes us cringe in disgust. It is a shame that even after 60 years of Independence, we have more malnourished children than sub-Saharan Africa. Health and education must be given top priority. Only then can we reap the benefits of advancement in other fields.

Ashok Ghoshvia e-mail

Bone chilling truth

The editorial Girl child interrupted (February 22), rightly observed that the ratio of girls has been falling steadily for the past 20 years. While we await the investigation’s results, the Ratlam incident is only the tip of the iceberg. There are thousands of hospitals throughout the country that indulge in female foeticide and callous treatment of dead foetuses also. Mere pamphleteering serves no purpose.

TS MurthyDelhi

Up they go again

Apropos of the report Singh enlists states in war on price rise (February 23), Manmohan Singh should tell the nation why every time there is a Congress government at the Centre, certain essential commodities become scarce. Merely addressing the community with strong resolves or setting up cells and commissions won’t do. Some soul-searching has to be done.

Ved GulianiHissar

Victims of speculation

The role of the government is to ensure that the majority of population is not at the mercy of speculators and hoarders who use mechanisms like future trading to decide the amount of foodgrains and other essential items to be released in the market.If the aggregate production of these items do not keep pace with the growing demand from corporates and mandis, it would result in artificial scarcity leading to high prices.